Automatic stock-feeder.



PLM. STEPHENS. AUTOMATIC STOCK FEEDER. AHLIUATIONHLBD SEPT. 17, 1910.

Patented July 18, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

attoamut COLUMNA WMP" O0., WASHINGTON. D, C'

1. M. STEPHENS. AUTOMATIC STOCK FEEDER.'

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17', 1910. I

' Patented' July 18, 1911.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH C0. WASHINGTDN. D. c.

I'. M. STEPHENS. AUTOMATIC STOCK FEEDER. `P PLnmTIoN FILED S2211?, 1910.

- Patented July 18, 1911.

3 SHEETS-BHEET 3` COLUMNA PMNOGIAPH C0.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

FRANKLEN M. STEPHENS, 0F NEWBERN, TENNESSEE.

AUTOMATIC STOCK-FEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 17, 1910.

Patented July 18, 1911.

Serial No. 582,470.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, F RANKLEN M. S'rniii-inns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newbern, in the county of Dyer and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Stock-Feeders, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a stock feeder, and more particularly to the class of automatic, time-controlled stock feeding devices.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character in which horses, cows, pigs or other animals, and poultry may be fed at predetermined intervals of time in a stable, barn or any distance therefrom with definite quantities of grain or hay, without requiring the presence of an attendant orkeeper.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character in which stock, as animals or poultry, may be fed singly or collectively at any desirable locality, the device being automatical in operation for delivering food at predetermined intervals of time by suitable clock mechanism, thereby relieving the keeper from this laborious duty and avoiding the occasional oversight in the feeding of animals by such keeper.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is positive of and efficient in operation, and that may be installed at a minimum expense, the construction thereof being simple and durable.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claim.

Tn the drawings: Figure 1 is a frontelevation of the side wall of a building with the device mounted thereon, constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through one of the feed hoppers. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4- is a side elevation of the hopper. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. t. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 0 6 of Fig. l. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a slight modification, the same being partly in section. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a still further modification. Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9 9 of Fig. S.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 5 designates the casing of each feed hopper which may be of any desirable number, or a single one as the occasion requires, and is preferably of rectangular shape in cross section throughout its length, the casing being provided interiorly with a funnelshaped chute 6 extending through the entire length thereof, and the wall of which divides the casing into independent compartments 7 and S which latter receive the grain and hay to be fed to the animals, in a manner as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In one wall of the casing is a suitable inlet opening, the same being normally closed by means of a slide or door 9, and by this opening hay or other material is introduced to the compartment 8 when .filling the casing with food. At the top of the casing is a hinged door or lid 10 normally closing the upper end of the chute 6 and on the raising of the said lid grain may be introduced within t-he said chute. The bottom of the casing 5 is closed by means of a trap door ll suitably hinged to said casing and on the opening thereof grain or hay will be discharged into a manger or feed trough l2 from which the cattle are fed. Each of the casings 5 is suitably secured to the wall 13 of a building or4 barn at intervals apart directly over the manger or trough.

Mounted exteriorly on the front wall of the casings areswinging trip levers or arms 14, the same being connected thereto by means of pivots 15, and the lower end of each lever is provided with a notch 16 in one longitudinal edge thereof, the notch being adapted to receive a keeper or pin 17 mounted in and projecting from the forward edge 0f the trap door ll so that it may be retained closed when the lever is in one posit-ion, and this trap door by its own weight will gravitate to open position when released by said lever or arm 14, the latter being operated by mechanism, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

At one side and suitably spaced from the outermost feed hopper is a supporting bracket 18, the same being suit-ably fixed to the wall of the building and upon which is superimposed a clock .19 of the ordinary alarm type. To the alarm arbor 21 of said clock is connected one end of a flexible cable 21, the same being connected to the levers or arms 14, and the remaining end of this cable is attached to one end of a retractile spring 22, the other end of the latter being attached to a hanger or arm 23 fixed to the wall beyond said feeding hopper. It is of course to be understood that the flexible cable at its end connected with the arbor 2O` of the clock is normally wound thereon for a portion of the length of the end of said cable attached thereto so that when the alarm is set to strike at a predetermined time, the cable 21 will be unwound from the alarm arbor 20 and by the tension of the retractile spring- 22, the levers or arms 14 will be simultaneously moved out of engagement with the keeper pin 17 of the t-rap doors 11, whereby the same by gravitation will open, thus permitting the grain and hay contained within the hoppers to be discharged into the mangers or feed troughs from which the animals may be fed. Obviously, the clock may be set in the ordinary manner, so that the alarm will strike at the required time desired by the keeper, whereby the animals may be fed at a designated interval of time.

In Fig. 7, there is shown a slight modification, wherein the cable 21 is trained over a guide pulley 24 and has connected to its end a suitable weight 25, the latter being attached in lieu of the spring 22 hereinbefore described, and this weight serves as a substi tute for the said spring, whereby the trip levers or arms 14 will be simultaneously actuated on the striking of the alarm for releasing the trap doors 11, whereby the food contained in the hoppers will be discharged into the mangers or feed troughs. Also passing through the top of each casing 5 within the compartment 8 is a weighted follower block 2G, the latter being connected to one end of a flexible cable or cord 27, the latter being trained over suitable guide pulleys 28 and its opposite ends fixed to a staple or other suitable fastening means 29 secured to the wall 13 of the building, the follower block 26 being adapted to press upon the hay contained in the compartment 8 so as to cause the positive feeding thereof on its discharge from the casing on the opening of the trap door.

In Fig. 8, there is shown a still furt-her modification wherein the trip arm or levers 14 are pivotally connected, as at 30, near their upper ends to a. shifting bar or rod 31, the latter being formed at one end with a hook 32 which is engaged by a similar hook end of a trip catch 33, the latter being piv oted, as at 34, to the wall 13 and has connected at its opposite end a trip cord 35, the latter being trained over suitable guide pulleys 36, and the opposite end of this cord being normally unwound upon the alarm arbor 2O of the clock 19, so that upon the winding of the trip cord 35 upon the arbor, thev trip catch 33 will become disengaged from the shifting bar or rod 31, and by means of the weight 37 connected with its opposite end through the medium of a cord 3S, the said rod will be moved to simultaneously shift the trip arms or levers 14 thereby releasing the trap doors 11 for the passage of the food from the hoppers, the cord 38 being trained over a suitable guide pulley 39, and the shifting rod being guided in suitable alining guide members 4() fixed to the wall 13 of the building or barn. The trap doors 11 have formed at their forward edges trough-shaped extensions 41 which re ceive the grain and hay discharged from the hoppers when the said trap doors have been lowered by gravity due to their weight.

It is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to, as come properly within the scope of the claim hereunto appended, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or sacrificing any of its advantages.

v What is claimed is:

The combination with a hopper, a trap door hinged to the hopper at its lower end and normally closing the same, a troughlike extension formed on the trap door at its free longitudinal edge for receiving material from the hopper on the opening of said door, a trip lever pivoted to the front of the hopper, means on the trap door and engageable by the trip lever for holding the door in normally closed posit-ion, a clock controlled releasing mechanism connected with the lever for freeing the latter at predetermined intervals, and means acting upon the lever for shifting the same when released for permitting the opening of the door.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLEN M. STEPHENS.

Witnesses O. J. RADFORD, M. It. PACE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents eachy by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

